LANSING -- Michigan Democratic leaders in the Legislature launched an effort today to seek a constitutional amendment to protect collective bargaining for public employees and have asked Gov. Rick Snyder to sign on to their effort.

Michigan Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer

Senate minority leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, and House minority leader Rick Hammel, D-Flushing, say the amendment would allay the concerns of employees who feel under attack by a package of bills that provide authority for appointments of emergency financial managers.

The bills "claim to be about balancing the budget yet would allow contracts to be broken, wages slashed, and benefits taken away from working families," Democrats said in a statement.

The constitutional amendment "would eliminate the concern over their legislation’s effect on collective bargaining rights and allow all sides to focus on creating a budget that moves all of Michigan forward," the statement said.

“It’s time that politicians stop telling people what they want to hear, then pass bills that weaken workers' rights and threaten the wages and benefits of men and women who actually work for a living,” said Whitmer. “This amendment would secure in Michigan’s Constitution the basic right for every individual to have a seat at the negotiating table. They say we’re not Wisconsin, well then let’s prove it.”

A statement attributed to Hammel said there are also efforts being considered by the Republican Majority that would force privatization and strip teachers, police, and firefighters the ability to negotiate on a level playing field.

Pointing to earlier statements from Gov. Snyder indicating he does not think it's necessary to restrict public employees' collective bargaining rights, the Democrats asked the governor to support their efforts to adopt the constitutional change.

In response, the governor's spokesperson, Sara Wurfel, renewed a pledge not to abolish collective bargaining.

"The Governor has been extremely clear that he has absolutely no intention to get rid of collective bargaining. He wants to work cooperatively and constructively – not combatively – and will do that at the negotiating table to achieve mutual outcomes," Wurfel said.

"We’ve got to focus on the things that will get Michigan’s economy back on track and that will unite us. That’s the Michigan way."